KUALA LUMPUR (May 27): Nine localities nationwide will be placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) from Saturday (May 29) until June 11 to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said three of the localities were in the Sitiawan sub-district in Manjung, Perak involving Sitiawan, Seri Manjung and Ayer Tawar areas.

From May 10 to 23, he said the Ministry of Health (MOH) detected 135 positive Covid-19 cases in Sitiawan, which contributed to 58.7% of cases in the Manjung district.

"There has been a sharp increase in cases in high-density areas and infections within communities in this sub-district involving Pekan Sitiawan, Pekan Ayer Tawar, Pekan Kampung Koh, Pekan Pasir Panjang and Bandar Seri Manjung," he said in a statement today. 

Ismail Sabri said the other three localities subject to EMCO were Bandar Triang, Pekan Kemayan and Gugusan Mendi in Bera, Pahang, after 76 positive Covid-19 cases were recorded as a result of 1,258 screening tests conducted by the MOH in the district.

Ismail Sabri said Kuala Berang sub-district in Hulu Terengganu would also be placed under EMCO, after the MOH found there has been a significant increase in cases, namely 37 positive cases following 213 screening tests.

"At the same time, there is an outbreak of cases in all localities with high infectivity rates," he said.

He said the other two localities were in Sabah involving Kampung Baru Durok, Keningau and Kampung Mook, Kinarut, Papar.

"In Kampung Baru Durok, the MOH carried out 158 screening tests and 28 positive cases were recorded, while in Kampung Mook, Kinarut nine positive cases were detected as a result of 35 screening tests," he said, adding that the standard operating procedures (SOP) for all localities under EMCO were the same as previously announced.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said a total of 941 cases of failing to record personal details or register when entering any premise were recorded for five days until today, through the SOP Compliance Operation during the enforcement of MCO 3.0.

"Yesterday, 724 individuals were arrested for various SOP violations and out of that number, 712 individuals were compounded, while 12 were remanded," he said.